By Chase Doelling, Principal Strategist, JumpCloud

As we look to 2025, IT teams continue to wrestle with dynamic workplaces shaped by evolving employee preferences, new security challenges, and the rapid implementation of AI. These developments aren't happening in isolation-they're indicative of larger trends influencing how organizations secure their operations and stay competitive. Here are three trends to keep your eye on and how to best manage their potential impact.

Prediction 1: Welcome Back to the Office

The debate over remote versus in-office work is far from over, but 2025 may tip the scales slightly toward hybrid work models. After years of remote-first policies, many employees are beginning to seek more collaborative and social environments, and many management teams are looking to establish more regular in-person office time. This return to centralized offices or shared workspaces will have ripple effects for everyone.

For IT teams, this shift means adapting to a hybrid infrastructure that supports both remote and on-site employees effectively. A specific challenge? Physical IT support. Employees returning to the office will inevitably encounter frustrations with hardware and other resources -issues IT teams didn't need to worry about with all-remote workforces. Where is the toner? Why can't I print? Why doesn't the network recognize my phone?

Network and endpoint security policies will need to be adjusted as employees use both corporate-owned and personal devices to connect, making patch management and centralized IT control top of mind.

Prediction 2: Persistent Passwords123!

Passwords are a persistent headache for IT teams and users alike - 95% of organizations still use them! -  but recent changes in password guidelines offer some hope for a different path forward. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) updated its password management recommendations, moving away from frequent resets and overly complex requirements. This is great for reducing user friction, and offers a more streamlined authentication experience, but it does raise a critical question-how will users generate and store strong passwords or should IT take a more centralized approach to managing users' credentials? Ongoing employee education around best password practices will be critical along with enabling MFA everywhere and often. For tighter control, password managers integrated with biometrics can eliminate much of the risk of employees' poor password hygiene. 

Prediction 3: Accepting AI

There's no question AI is a transformative force across industries, but its integration into everyday IT operations is set to accelerate in 2025. What was once a nebulous initiative is now becoming more focused and actionable. As more use cases stabilize, AI is moving from a buzzword to a must-have as users learn how to maximize productivity with their artificial co-pilot.

AI's productivity gains also introduce security issues. End users are increasingly leveraging AI to streamline workflows, automate tasks, and analyze data, and IT teams must manage the infrastructure and security implications of these technologies. Ensuring that AI-driven tools align with organizational policies and ethical standards will be a critical focus area, and it's encouraging there is increasing focus on AI's impact: 67% of organizations now have a formal AI policy in place, up from 63% at the beginning of 2024.

Preparing for the Future

The IT landscape in 2025 will be one requiring balance between the familiar and the transformative. From a return to shared workspaces paired with AI and authentication, these trends highlight that IT teams will need to be flexible and ready for innovation, growth, and user-centric strategies.

The key to success lies in staying informed and proactive. With the right approach organizations can navigate these trends with confidence. IT is no longer just about keeping the lights on; it's about leading the way into a future defined by change.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chase Doelling is the Principal Strategist at cloud directory platform provider JumpCloud, where he leads the team in creating partnerships that enhance and secure digital identities. He has been working in venture-backed startups across security, integration, and DevOps for the last decade.